Woman takes handmade crafts, gifts on the road

Donna Howell, of Citrus Springs, has taken her penchant for making gifts by hand and turned it into an art that she has taken on the road.

By Lora E. IdeCorrespondent

DUNNELLON — Donna Howell, of Citrus Springs, has taken her penchant for making gifts by hand and turned it into an art that she has taken on the road.

Howell is now showing her small boxes of sand and seashells that can be rotated for an ever-changing beach scene at festivals and flea markets.

Each one is different and a good reminder of the fun one had at some of the Sunshine State’s finest beaches, rivers and festivals, said Sheila Boss, visiting from Maryland.

“They are beautiful. Donna is our cousin, and when we first got down here a few weeks ago, she showed us what she was making. My husband got one for himself and then asked me, ‘How about you?’ So I got one, too,” Boss said.

Boss came along when Howell set up a tent at the First Saturday Village Market in early March.

“Basically I’ve been making these types of things all my life, but doing it for family and friends. When I give a gift, it’s usually something from the heart that I make for them,” Howell said.

The small art frames containing shells and sand are not difficult to make, and it’s actually fun doing them because each one turns out differently depending upon the materials used, Howell said.

“When I start one, I look for two picture frames that look the same. I start with one side and seal the glass into it. When that dries, I put the sand in and pick out the seashells I want to go in that particular piece.

“When I’ve done that, and I like how it looks, I put glue on the other side and then push the two frames down together to get them sealed good and tight. When that all dries, I pick them up to test them for leaks,” Howell said.

Howell also puts together nautical-style collages using pieces of fish net with seashells and starfish.

It is always fun and relaxing to work on her projects, she said, but it surprised her how much fun it has been taking her art on the road and interacting with people at different events, such as the volunteers, staff, other exhibitors, vendors and visitors at Cracker Days in February at Rainbow Springs State Park.

On the morning the festival opened, Howell dressed in a way she thought looked somewhat old-fashioned.

“I didn’t realize the outfit I wore the first day was pretty much in the right period (mid-1800s) until I went home that night and looked on the Internet. Then I found out that the dress was perfect, except that for Sunday I needed to add some lace to it,” she said.